Gun case with enhanced gun securement means

ABSTRACT

A gun carrying case that comprises a pair of side panels that define a gun receiving compartment with one side of the panels defining an opening to the gun receiving compartment. The gun case includes a first locking device for locking a closure zipper in a closed condition, and a second locking device in the form of a metal cable trained in serpentine fashion between the side panels below the zipper for redundantly locking the side panels in a closed condition notwithstanding unauthorized opening or tampering with the zipper. The bottom of the gun receiving compartment is defined in part by a U-shaped bullet penetration resistant layer, and a gun is securable within the case with a muzzle pointed downwardly into the U-shaped layer for retaining any errant discharge that might occur from the gun while in the case.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to gun cases, and moreparticularly, to a gun case adapted for enhanced securement of a gunwithin the case during storage or transport.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Policemen, law enforcement officers, and other gun users often muststore their handgun within a secured gun case when the gun is out oftheir possession. Air marshals on commercial airlines, for example,typically carry a handgun. When disembarking from an internationalflight, regulations require that airport security physically transportthe handgun in a gun case off the airplane for passage through security.Gun cases commonly have a satchel or carrying case appearance with azipper for closing an upper access end of the gun case and a smallpadlock or other locking device used for locking the zipper in itsclosed position. Nevertheless, it has been found that such lockablezipper closures for gun cases can be easily compromised by a ball pointpen or other sharp instrument that pries apart the interlocking teeth ofthe zipper, enabling relatively quick and easy access to the interior ofthe gun case. Other means for attempting to more securely lock the guncase have been cumbersome and detracted from the streamlined appearanceand handling of the gun case when in a locked condition. While it isdesirable that gun cases also facilitate safe handling of the gun priorto and after storage in the gun case, it further is desirable that thegun case protectively contain the gun within the case in such mannerthat if a round should be inadvertently discharged from the gun whilewithin the case it would be protectively contained within gun case.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a gun storage andtransport case that is adapted for more securely containing a gun withinthe case during transport, handling or storage of the gun.

Another object is to provide a gun case as characterized above which isless susceptible to compromise by individuals attempting unauthorizedaccess to the contained gun.

A further object is to provide a gun case of the above kind whichincludes both primary and secondary securement devices while maintaininga streamlined satchel appearance for easy handling and transport.

Still another object is to provide such a gun case in which thesecurement means is relatively simple and economical in construction.

Yet a further object is to provide a gun case of the foregoing typewhich not only facilitates safe handling of the gun before and afterstorage within the case, but also protectively contains the gun withinthe case such that any inadvertent discharge of the gun is contained.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent uponreading the following detailed description and upon reference to thedrawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective of an illustrative gun carrying case embodyingthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective of the gun case shown in FIG. 1 with the topcover flap in an opened position, showing the gun case in a redundantlylocked condition;

FIG. 3 is a perspective, similar to FIG. 2, showing the first or zipperlocking device with the key inserted for unlocking;

FIG. 4 is a perspective, similar to FIG. 3, with the zipper lockingdevice in an unlocked condition;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective of the zipper locking device of theillustrated gun carrying case;

FIG. 6 is a perspective of the illustrated gun case with both the firstzipper lock and a second redundant locking device in disengagedcondition permitting access to the gun carrying compartment of the case;

FIG. 7 is a perspective of an alternative embodiment of the gun case inaccordance with the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a vertical transverse section of the gun case taken in theplane of line 8-8 in FIG. 7.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications andalternative constructions, a certain illustrative embodiment thereof hasbeen shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. Itshould be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit theinvention to the specific form disclosed, but on the contrary, theintention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, andequivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown anillustrative hand gun storage and carrying case 10 in accordance withthe invention. The illustrated hand gun case 10 includes front and rearsides wall panels 11, 12 which are fixedly secured along bottom and sidejuncture areas 14, 15, respectively, to define an upwardly opening gunreceiving compartment 16 therebetween.

One or both of the side panels 11, 12 may include a ballistic resistantlayer of material, such as described in application Ser. No. 11/110,064,the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, adapted forimpeding and/or containing an errant round from a gun directed into thegun case should an unintentional discharge of the gun occur duringhandling of the gun while aimed at a side of the gun case 10, eitherprior to placement in the gun case or following removal. To facilitateand encourage safe handling of the gun after removal from the case, orfollowing loading or checking of the shell chamber, an emblem 18 in theform of a target indicia is centrally located on the outer side surfaceof the front gun case panel 11, as also described in the abovereferenced application. With the target emblem 18 on the outside of thegun case and one or more of the side panels appropriately reinforcedwith a ballistic resistant layer, the user is constantly reminded topoint the gun at the reinforced side panels, as well as other necessarysafe handling procedures for the gun.

For releasably securing the side panels 11, 12 along an upper perimeterof the compartment 16 for containing a gun within the compartment, azipper 20 is provided. The zipper 20 may be of a conventional type,comprising strips 21 of interlockable teeth secured to the respectiveside panels 11, 12 adjacent top sides of the panels and a slidableinterlock head 22 having a pull tab 24 that is movable along the lengthof the strips 21 in one direction for interlocking the teeth of thezipper strips 21 and in an opposite direction for unlocking theinterlocking teeth of the zipper strips 21.

In accordance with the invention, the gun case has a redundant lockingsystem adapted for more secure containment of a gun within the gun case.To this end, in the illustrated embodiment, the gun case includes afirst locking device for locking the zipper in a compartment closingcondition, and a second locking device for both further securing the guncontaining compartment in a closed condition and preventing easy accessor compromise to the zipper locking device.

In the illustrated embodiment, a zipper locking device 25 is providedadjacent the end of the zipper where the interlock head 22 is locatedwhen the zipper is in a closed condition. The zipper locking device 25,which may be of a type known in the art, includes a housing 26inconspicuously disposed between front and rear panels 11, 12 andextending in depending relation to the level of the zipper strips 21,the housing 26 is formed with an upwardly opening zipper locking headreceiving cavity 28 having a pair of upstanding tabs 29 adjacent ends ofthe zipper strips 21. A stem 30 having a cantilevered locking head 31 ismounted for relative vertical movement within the housing 26, beingbiased toward a raised position by an appropriate biasing spring or thelike acting on an underside of the stem. The zipper locking device 25further includes a key operated multiple pin plunger of a conventionaltype for automatically engaging an locking the stem 30 and cantileveredlocking head 31 when pushed against the force of the resilient spring toa lowered locking position. Rotation of the tumbler by a key 35 releasesthe stem 30 causing the locking head 31 to be biased upwardly to theunlocked condition.

It will be seen that when the zipper 20 is closed, the slidableinterlock head 22 of the zipper is located above the cavity 28 of thelocking device housing 26. Forcing the stem 30 downwardly to its lockedposition causes the cantilevered locking head 31 of the stem 30 to forcethe zipper interlock head 22 into the cavity 28 and retain it behind theupstanding lugs 29, locking it in its zipped or closed condition.Rotation of the tumbler by the key 35 releases the lock automaticallyraising the stem 30 and locking head 31 for permitting removal of thezipper interlock head 22 from the cavity 28 and movement of the zipperinterlock head 22 to a compartment opening position

In keeping with the invention, the gun case has a redundant or secondlocking device 40 for further securing the gun containing compartment 16in a closed condition and for impeding access or compromise to thezipper locking device 25. The redundant locking device 40 in this caseincludes a serpentine steel cable 41 for securing the upper perimetersof the front and rear panels 11, 12 together below the zipper strips 21which is trained through a plurality of metal reinforcing grommets 42a-42 d and 44 a-44 c in the front and rear panels 11, 12, respectively.The front panel 11 in this case includes four laterally spaced grommets42 a-42 d, and the rear panel 12 includes three grommets 44 a-44 c inaligned relation with the grommets 44 b-44 d of the front panel 11.

One end of the cable 41 is fixedly secured to the housing 26 of thezipper locking device 25, such that the free end which in this case isformed with a locking loop 45 can be trained through the grommets 42 ain the front panel 11 and then in serpentine fashion through the alignedgrommets 42 b, 44 a and 42 c, 44 b and 42 d, 44 c in the front and rearpanels 11, 12 with the free looped end of the cable 41 extendingoutwardly of the third double set of grommets 42 d, 44 c. The cable 41maintains the upper perimeters of the panels 11, 12 in close relation toeach other, and a conventional padlock 46 may be secured to the loop 45at the free protruding end above the cable 41 for redundantlymaintaining the compartment in closed condition.

In keeping with the invention, the gun case has a fold over closure flap50 that overlies the zipper 20 and the secondary serpentine lockingcable 41 for giving the gun case a streamlined low profile, satchel likeappearance. The fold over panel 50 in this case is defined by a flapportion 51 secured to the rear side panel 15, which is foldable over thetop of the gun compartment 16 into overlying relation to a front side ofthe front panel 11. The flap portion 51 in this instance has a grommet53 in aligned relation to the grommet 42 d and 44 c in the front andrear side panels, through which the cable loop 45 protrudes for locking.The flap portion 51 preferably covers the rear side of the rear panelgrommets 44 a and 44 b. Respective Velcro strips 54, 55 are providedalong the perimeter of the foldable flap portion 51 and the front panel11, respectively, for releasable securing the flap portion 51 in itsfolded down closed position. The side panels 11, 12 in this case eachhave a respective handle strap 56 fixed along a respective side thereofto facilitate carrying of the gun case. One of the holding straps 56 hasa handle and retention flap 58 which is foldable about the other holdingstrap 56 for retaining the holding straps 56 together and providing acomfortable handle for transporting the case. The handle and retentionflap 58 has matable Velcro strips which enable releasable securement ofthe flap 58 in its strap retaining condition.

To open the gun case, it can be seen that the holding straps 56 may beseparated by unfolding of the retention flap 58, and the closure flap 50may be opened. By use of the key 35, the zipper locking device 25 may beunlocked, causing the stem 30 and locking lug 31 of the lock to beautomatically raised to a position which enables removal of the zipperinterlock head 22 from the cavity 28 of the zipper lock housing 26,permitting sliding movement of the interlock head 22 to open the zipper20. Unlocking of the pad lock 40 permits removal of the serpentine cable41 from the grommets 42, and opening of the gun case compartment forremoval of the gun, which during loading or other handling may bedirected to the safe direction target 18 on the reinforced gun casepanel.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawings, there is shown analternative embodiment of the gun case in accordance with the inventionwherein items similar to those described above have been given similarreference numerals. The gun case 10 in this instance has an internal gunsupport and retention arrangement for securing a hand gun within thecase such that any accidental discharge of the gun while within the caseis protectively contained within the gun case. To this end, the gunreceiving compartment 16 includes a pocket 60 for receiving andsupporting a muzzle 61 of a gun 62 in a downwardly directed fashion andat least one retention strap 64 for securing the gun 62 within thepocket 60. The muzzle receiving pocket 60 in this case is upwardlyopening, defined by a transverse strip 65 of fabric material secured onopposite vertical sides to an interior wall 66 of the gun receivingcompartment 16. A retention strap 68 also is fixedly secured at one end,such as by stapling or sewing, to the transverse strip 65 and has a freeend 68 a that may be wrapped about a handle of the gun 62 and releasablysecured, by means of Velcro fasteners or the like, to the opposite wallof the open receiving compartment 16. It will be understood that the gun62 may be positioned into the gun case in either a holstered orunholstered condition, with the muzzle 61 disposed in the pocket 60 indownwardly directed fashion and with the retention strip 68 securing thegun in such position during containment.

In carrying out this aspect of the invention, the gun case 10 has aU-shaped lining material comprising a ballistic resistant layer 70 withthe bottom of the U defining a bottom of the gun case to which themuzzle of a gun 62 supported in the case is pointed for protectivelycontaining an errant round that might be accidentally discharged fromthe gun. In the illustrated embodiment, the ballistic resistant layer 70may be a bullet penetration resistant layer made of a materialcommercially available from DuPont Corporation under the name Kevlar.This layer 70 preferably comprises a plurality of individual adjacentlayers of Kevlar material designed to resist penetration and passage ofa bullet discharging from the gun. The number of layers of Kevlar can bedesigned for the caliber of the bullet for which the composite layer isto resist passage. To minimize material usage and cost, the bulletpenetrating layer 70 may have a J-configured shape with a long leg 70 aof the J overlying and encompassing a front side of the gun containingcompartment 16 and the opposite shorter leg 70 b of the J extendingupwardly about half the height of the back side of the compartment 16.

To facilitate safe handling of the gun, consistent with theafore-referenced application, a bullet diffusing layer 71 is provided inoverlying relation to the penetration resistant layer 70 for diffusingand spreading out the impact trauma of a bullet that might be directedinto the side of the gun case during handling of the gun before storageor after removal of the gun, such as during loading, unloading, chamberchecking, or the like. The force diffusing layer 71 may be made of apolyurethane material, such as is commercially available from GallagherCorporation, Gurnee, Ill., under the designation GC 493. The forcediffusing layer 71 preferably takes the form of a single layer of suchpolyurethane compound that can be molded, poured, or injected into asuitable flexible plate-like form between about ⅛″ and ½″ in thickness.Such material has characteristics that diffuse and spread out impactenergy from a bullet so as to reduce the impact trauma thereof on a sideopposite that which is impacted by the bullet. Hence, it can be seenthat the ballistic resistant layers 70, 71 both facilitate safe handlingof the gun before or after loading in the case, as well as protectivelycontain any errant discharge from the muzzle of the gun while containedwithin the case.

For purposes herein, and consistent with the afore-referencedapplication, the term “bullet penetration resistant layer” shall mean alayer of material that resists penetration and passage of a fired bulletwhile not necessarily preventing blunt force trauma or impact due todeformation. The term “bullet diffusing layer” shall mean a layer ofmaterial that diffuses and dampens the impact of force of a fired bulletby distributing the force over a larger area, while not necessarilypreventing or substantially resisting penetration and passage of thebullet. The term “ballistic resistant layer” shall mean a layer whichcomprises either a bullet penetration resistant layer or a bulletdiffusing layer.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that a gun storage and transport caseis provided that is adapted for more securely containing a gun withinthe case during transport, handling, or storage of the gun. The gun casehas redundant locking devices that are less susceptible to compromise byindividuals attempting unauthorized access to the gun containing case.Yet, the gun case is relatively simple and economical in construction,and when in use, has a streamlined satchel appearance for easy handlingand transport. The gun case further facilitates safe handling of the gunprior to and after removal from the case, as well as during storage.

1. A gun carrying case comprising: a pair of side panels that define agun receiving compartment, one side of each of said side panels definingan opening to said gun receiving compartment, zipper strips along thesides of said side panels that define said opening, a zipper interlockslide slidable along said zipper strips in one direction forinterlocking and closing said zipper strips and said opening of said gunreceiving compartment and in an opposite direction for separating saidzipper strips and opening said gun receiving compartment, a firstlocking device for locking said zipper interlock slide in positionclosing said gun containing compartment, a second locking device forredundantly locking the sides of said side panels that define saidopening to said gun receiving compartment in a closed position, and saidsecond redundant locking device being operable for maintaining the sidesof said panels that define said opening to said gun compartment in asufficiently closed condition for preventing removal of a gun from thecompartment notwithstanding separation of the zipper strips by movementof the slide to a compartment opening position or unauthorizedseparation of the zipper strips.
 2. The gun case of claim 1 in whichsaid first and second locking devices each is key operated.
 3. The guncase of claim 1 in which said second locking device is a metal cabletrained between the sides of said panels that define the opening to saidgun receiving compartment.
 4. The gun case of claim 3 in which saidmetal cable is trained in serpentine fashion between the sides of saidpanels that define the opening to said gun receiving compartment.
 5. Thegun case of claim 4 in which the sides of said panels that define theopening to said gun receiving compartment are formed with a plurality ofgrommets, and said metal cable is trained in serpentine fashion throughsaid grommets for retaining the ends of the panels in close relation toeach other.
 6. The gun case of claim 5 including a selectivelydisengageable cable retaining lock for preventing removal of said cablefrom a trained position through said grommets.
 7. The gun case of claim6 in which said cable is formed with a loop at a free end thereof, andsaid cable retaining lock is a padlock size larger than said grommetsthat is engageable with an end loop of the cable for preventing removalof the cable from the grommets, and said padlock is selectivelydisengageable and removable from the cable loop for enabling withdrawalof the cable from a trained position through said grommets and openingof the sides of said panels that define said end receiving compartment.8. The gun case of claim 5 in which one of said panels has a closureflap foldable over an outer side of the other panel for concealing saidzipper locking device and the grommets on one of said side panels. 9.The gun case of claim 1 in which said second locking device secures thetop sides of said side panels together at a location below said zipperstrips.
 10. The gun case of claim 1 in which at least one of said sidepanels is formed with a ballistic-resistant layer of material effectivefor impeding and containing an errant round from a gun discharge intothe side panel of the gun case.
 11. The gun case of claim 10 in which anouter face of one of said panels has a target indicia.
 12. A guncarrying case comprising: a pair of side panels that define a gunreceiving compartment, one side of each of said side panels defining anopening to said gun receiving compartment, a releasable closure devicealong the sides of said side panels that defines said opening forreleasably securing the gun receiving compartment in a closed condition,a first locking device for releasably locking the closure device in agun compartment closing condition, a second locking device forredundantly locking the sides of said side panels that define saidopening to said gun receiving compartment in a closed position, and saidsecond redundant locking device being operable for maintaining the sidesof said panels that define said opening to said gun compartment in asufficiently closed condition for preventing removal of a gun from thecompartment notwithstanding unauthorized opening of said releasableclosure device.
 13. The gun case of claim 12 in which said metal cableis trained in serpentine fashion between the sides of said panels thatdefine the opening to said gun receiving compartment.
 14. The gun caseof claim 13 in which the sides of said panels that define the opening tosaid gun receiving compartment are formed with a plurality of grommets,said metal cable is trained in serpentine fashion through said grommetsfor retaining the ends of the panels in close relation to each other,and a selectively disengageable cable retaining lock for preventingremoval of said cable from a trained position through said grommets. 15.The gun case of claim 12 in which said second locking device secures thetop sides of said side panels together at a location below said zipperstrips.
 16. The gun case of claim 12 in which at least one of said sidepanels is formed with a ballistic-resistant layer of material effectivefor impeding and containing an errant round from a gun discharge intothe side panel of the gun case, and an outer face of one of said panelshas a target indicia.
 17. A gun carrying case comprising: a pair of sidepanels that define a gun receiving compartment, an upper side of each ofsaid side panels defining an opening to said gun receiving compartment,said gun receiving compartment having an internal gun support andretention arrangement for supporting the gun with a muzzle of the gunpointed to a bottom of the gun receiving compartment, said support andretention arrangement including a retention strap for securing about thegun to retain it with the muzzle pointed downwardly into said gunreceiving compartment, and said gun receiving compartment having aU-shaped layer of a bullet penetration resistant material for containingan errant discharge of the gun while in the gun case.
 18. The guncarrying case of claim 17 in which said gun support and retentionarrangement includes a separate upwardly opening pocket formed in saidgun receiving compartment for receiving and supporting the muzzle of agun positioned in the compartment in a downwardly pointed direction. 19.The gun carrying case of claim 18 in which said retention strap isaffixed at one end to a side wall of the compartment and has a free endfor positioning about a handle of a gun within the gun receivingcompartment, and said free end having a releasable fastener for securingthe strap within the compartment in a gun retaining condition.
 20. Thegun carrying case of claim 17 in which said bullet penetration resistantlayer has a J-shaped cross sectional configuration with a front legextending upwardly and encompassing a front side of said gun receivingcompartment and a rear leg extending upwardly a lesser distance thansaid front leg and encompassing a part of a rear side of saidcompartment.
 21. The gun carrying case of claim 17 including a bulletdiffusing layer of material disposed in adjacent overlying relation tothe front leg of said U-shaped bullet penetration resistant layer.